Companies for Diversity: Alliance against Extremism and Populism

“We stand for values”: Under this motto, more than 30 German companies are positioning themselves in favor of diversity, openness, and tolerance and against extremism and populism. The initiative is intended to express solidarity and support for common European values. At the same time, the alliance wants to take a stand against “exclusion, hatred, and isolation,” which would also pose a threat to freedom and prosperity from a business perspective. After all, a cosmopolitan and tolerant Europe is central to its innovative strength and competitiveness.

The goals also include exchange between companies, the creation of common formats and content, and the communication of these processes and messages to the public. A social media campaign, for example, will serve this purpose. In addition, various internal company activities will be organized for employees, such as discussion groups, workshops, and information events. For example, an internal campaign is already underway to encourage company employees to vote in the European elections and to emphasize the importance of the EU for the economy.

In addition to DAX-listed companies, the newly founded alliance also includes medium-sized and family-owned companies, involving a total of around 1.7 million employees. Participating companies include Deutsche Bahn, Bosch, BMW, and Telefónica. The initiative is also supported by the BDI and the DGB. Other companies and organizations are explicitly invited to join the alliance in order to ensure the greatest possible diversity.

These topics also caught our attention:

• Training: In 2023, more than 73,000 training positions remained unfilled, while at the same time many applicants were unable to find a place. The Handelsblatt (€) summarizes the reasons for this and the current situation in apprenticeship occupations.

• Overtime: Although employees in Germany worked less overtime in 2023 than in the previous year, more than half of it remained unpaid. This is shown by data from the Institute for Employment Research.

• Four-day week: Various studies and pilot projects show that the four-day week has great potential for employers and employees alike. Melanie Böff summarized exactly what is needed for successful implementation for the Tagesschau.

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